Electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus control method

ABSTRACT

An electronic apparatus includes: a recording unit configured to access a recording medium using a head; an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration generated in the electronic apparatus; and a control unit configured to write, in the recording medium or a predetermined memory, detection data indicating a result of the detection by the acceleration sensor or a state of the electronic apparatus detected on the basis of the detection result and retracting, when the detection result satisfies a drop condition for the electronic apparatus defined in advance, the head of the recording unit to a predetermined retraction position.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application contains subject matter related to Japanese PatentApplication JP 2005-311400 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Oct.26, 2005, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus including anacceleration sensor for drop detection and an electronic apparatuscontrol method.

2. Description of the Related Art

For example, according to a reduction in size of an HDD (Hard DiskDrive), the HDD is mounted on a portable electronic apparatus such as aportable music player.

Since such a portable electronic apparatus is often carried by a user,the portable electronic apparatus is likely to drop. Therefore, theportable electronic apparatus mounted with the HDD includes anacceleration sensor for drop detection and performs an operation forretracting a head of the HDD when the acceleration censor detects a dropstart state (see, for example, JP-A-2005-11474).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When a repairer repairs a broken-down portable electronic apparatus,first, it is necessary to specify a location of failure. The location offailure is estimated with reference to a state of use or the like of theportable electronic apparatus by a user. However, the state of use orthe like alone is often insufficient as information.

Therefore, it is not uncommon for the repairer to spend a long time tospecify the location of failure.

Thus, it is desirable to provide an electronic apparatus and anelectronic apparatus control method that are capable of easilyspecifying a cause of failure and a location of failure.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided anelectronic apparatus including: a recording unit configured to access arecording medium using a head; an acceleration sensor that detectsacceleration generated in the electronic apparatus; and a control unitconfigured to write, in the recording medium or a predetermined memory,detection data indicating a result of the detection by the accelerationsensor or a state of the electronic apparatus detected on the basis ofthe detection result and retracting, when the detection result satisfiesa drop condition for the electronic apparatus defined in advance, thehead of the recording unit to a predetermined retraction position.

According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided anelectronic apparatus control method for controlling a portableelectronic apparatus including recording means for accessing a recordingmedium using a head and an acceleration sensor that detectsacceleration. The electronic apparatus control method includes: a firststep of generating detection data indicating a result of the detectionby the acceleration sensor or a state of the electronic apparatusdetected on the basis of the detection result; a second step of writingthe detection data generated in the first step in a predeterminedmemory; and a third step of retracting, when the detection resultsatisfies a drop condition for the electronic apparatus defined inadvance, the head of the recording means to a predetermined retractionposition.

According to an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to providean electronic apparatus and an electronic apparatus control method thatare capable of easily specifying a cause of failure and a location offailure and provide an electronic apparatus and an electronic apparatuscontrol method that are capable of easily specifying a location offailure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an overall diagram of a portable music player according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a method of setting a threshold forX, Y, and Z used by the portable music player to judge whether detectiondata such as acceleration data ACC should be written in a memory 2;

FIG. 3 is a graph for explaining a method of setting the thresholdsshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed when theportable music player shown in FIG. 1 has dropped;

FIG. 5 is a table for explaining detection data written in the memory 2in the operations shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining operations in storing temperaturedata, which indicates a temperature in a housing of the portable musicplayer shown in FIG. 1, in the memory 2 as detection data;

FIG. 7 is a table for explaining the detection data written in thememory 2 in the operations shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining operations in reading out thedetection data stored in the memory 2 when the portable music playershown in FIG. 1 is repaired.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the invention will be hereinafter explained withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall diagram of a portable music player 1 that is anexample of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of theinvention.

As shown in the figure, the portable music player 1 includes, forexample, a memory 2, an acceleration sensor 3, an operation key 4, atemperature sensor 5, a recording disk 6, a header 7, a reproductionprocessing circuit 9, an audio output unit 10, a display 11, aprocessing circuit 12, a timer 15, and an interface 16.

The memory 2 is an example of a predetermined memory according to theembodiment of the invention. The temperature sensor 5 is an example of atemperature sensor according to the embodiment of the invention. Theacceleration sensor 3 is an example of an acceleration sensor accordingto the embodiment of the invention. The processing circuit 12 is anexample of a control unit or control means according to the embodimentof the invention. The recording disk 6 is an example of a recording unitor recording means according to the embodiment of the invention. Thehead 7 is an example of a head according to the embodiment of theinvention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the memory 2 stores a program PRG, time data TIME,acceleration data ACC, and temperature data TEMP.

The time data TIME, the acceleration data ACC, and the temperature dataTEMP are written in the memory 2 according to operations of theprocessing circuit 12 described later.

Detection data such as the time data TIME, the acceleration data ACC,and the temperature data TEMP written in the memory 2 are read out atthe time of repair of the portable music player 1 and used forspecifying a cause of failure of the portable music player 1.

The acceleration sensor 3 is disposed in a housing of the portable musicplayer 1. The acceleration sensor 3 detects accelerations in three axialdirections (X, Y, and Z direction) generated in the portable musicplayer 1 and outputs acceleration data indicating the accelerations to acontrol unit 14. When at least the acceleration in one axial directionof the accelerations in the three axial directions exceeds apredetermined level, the control unit 14 writes detection data in thememory 2. The control unit 14 may write detection data in the memory 2when combined acceleration of the accelerations in the three axialdirections exceeds the predetermined level.

The operation key 4 is constituted by plural keys disposed on thesurface of the housing of the portable music player 1. The operation key4 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation of a userto the control unit 14 of the processing circuit 12 shown in FIG. 1.

The temperature sensor 5 is disposed in the housing of the portablemusic player 1. The temperature sensor 5 detects temperature in thehousing and outputs temperature data TEMP, which is a result of thedetection, to the control unit 4.

The timer 15 counts time and outputs time data TIME indicating a valueof the count to the control unit 14.

The interface 16 is an interface used for, for example, outputting thedetection data stored in the memory 2 to the outside of the portablemusic player 1.

The interface 16 outputs detection data such as the time data TIME, theacceleration data ACC, and the temperature data TEMP stored in thememory 2 to the out side of the portable music player 1 at the time ofrepair of the portable music player 1.

The display 11 displays a screen corresponding to a display signal S14bfrom the processing circuit 12. The screen is an operation screen suchas a music selection screen for selecting content (music data, etc.) tobe played, aplay screen, or a menu screen.

The display 11 displays, for example, at the time of repair of theportable music player 1, the detection data such as the time data TIME,the acceleration data ACC, and the temperature data TEMP stored in thememory 2.

The recording disk 6 is a recording medium such as a hard disk. Therecording disk 6 records content data such as music data.

The head 7 reads out the content data from the recording disk 6 andoutputs the content data to the reproduction processing circuit 9.

The head 7 moves from a head retracting section 8 toward the recordingdisk 6 when the head 7 accesses the recording disk 6.

The head 7 is held by the head retracting section 8 in a state in whichthe head 7 does not access the recording disk 6. In the head retractingsection 8, since the head 7 is fixed, the head 7 does not damage arecording area of the recording disk 6 even if an impact is applied tothe portable music player 1.

The head 7 reads out, according to control by a not-shown controlmechanism, music data from a designated address in the recording disk 6on the basis of a control signal S14a from the control unit 14 andoutputs the music data to the reproduction processing circuit 9.

The reproduction processing circuit 9 performs reproduction processingfor the content data read out from the recording disk 6 by the head 7and outputs a reproduction signal to an audio output unit 10.

The reproduction processing circuit 9 includes a buffer memory BUF andstores the content data read out from the recording disk 6 in advance inthe buffer memory BUF. The reproduction processing circuit 9 reads outthe content data from the buffer memory BUF, subjects the content datato reproduction processing, and outputs the content data to the audiooutput unit 10.

The processing circuit 12 executes the program PRG read out from thememory 2 and controls operations of the portable music player 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the processing circuit 12 includes a drop detectingunit 13 and the control unit 14.

The respective components of the processing circuit 12 may be realizedas electronic circuits, respectively or may be realized by a CPU(Central Processing Unit) realizing the program PRG read out from thememory 2.

[Drop Detecting Unit 13]

The drop detecting unit 13 judges, on the basis of the acceleration dataACC inputted from the acceleration sensor 3, whether the portable musicplayer 1 has dropped. When it is judged that the portable music player 1has dropped, the drop detecting unit 13 outputs a drop detection signalS13 to the control unit 14 shown in FIG. 1.

The drop detecting unit 13 outputs, for example, when combinedacceleration of accelerations in the three axial directions indicated bythe acceleration data ACC exceeds the predetermined level, the dropdetection signal S13, which indicates that the portable music player 1has dropped, to the control unit 14.

[Control Unit 14]

The control unit 14 shown in FIG. 1 performs predetermined processing onthe basis of an operation signal inputted from the operation key 4.

The control unit 14 performs control of an operation screen displayed onthe display 11, readout control for music data from the recording disk 6by the head 7, processing for writing the detection data such as thetime data TIME, the acceleration data ACC, and the temperature data TEMPin the memory 2, and the like.

The control unit 14 performs processing for reading out, for example,when a predetermined command defined in advance is inputted via theoperation unit 4, the detection data such as the time data TIME, theacceleration data ACC, and the temperature data TEMP stored in thememory 2 from the memory 2 and displaying the detection data on thedisplay 11 or outputting the detection data to the outside from theinterface 16.

The control unit 14 retracts the head 7 to the head retracting section18 when the drop detection signal S13, which indicates that the portablemusic player 1 has dropped, is inputted from the drop detecting unit 13.

Examples of operations of the portable music player 1 will behereinafter explained.

FIRST OPERATION EXAMPLE

In the operation example, a method of setting a threshold used by theportable music player 1 to judge whether the detection data such as theacceleration data ACC should be written in the memory 2 will beexplained.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation example.

Step ST1

The control unit 14 judges whether the head 7 is accessing the recordingdisk 6. When the head 7 is accessing the recording disk 6, the controlunit 14 proceeds to step ST3. When the head 7 is not accessing therecording disk 6, the control unit 14 proceeds to step ST2.

Step ST2

The control unit 14 sets “th1” shown in FIG. 3 as a threshold used forjudgment on whether the detection data should be stored in the memory 2.

Step ST3

The control unit 14 sets “th2” shown in FIG. 3 as the threshold. Notethat “th2” is smaller than “th1”.

In this embodiment, as described above, when the head 7 is accessing therecording disk 6, as the threshold used for judgment on whether thedetection data should be stored in the memory 2, a threshold smallerthan that set when the head 7 is not accessing the recording disk 6 isset. This makes it possible to write, during head access in which thehead 7 tends to collide against the recording disk 6 to cause a damage,the detection data in the memory 2 even when acceleration smaller thanthat at the time when the head 7 is not accessing the recording disk 6is generated.

SECOND OPERATION EXAMPLE

In the operation example, operations performed when the portable musicplayer 1 has dropped will be explained.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation example.

Step ST11

The control unit 14 judges whether the acceleration data ACC is inputtedfrom the acceleration sensor 3. When it is judged that the accelerationdata ACC is inputted, the control unit 14 proceeds to step ST12. When itis judged that the acceleration data ACC is not inputted, the controlunit 14 repeats the judgment.

Step ST12

The control unit 14 compares the acceleration data ACC inputted instepSTll and a predetermined drop condition. When the drop condition issatisfied (e.g., when the acceleration data ACC exceeds thepredetermined level), the control unit 14 proceeds to step ST13. Whenthe drop condition is not satisfied, the control unit 14 returns to stepST11.

Step ST13

The control unit 14 retracts the head 7 to the head retracting section 8when the head 7 is accessing the recording disk 6.

Step ST14

As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 14 writes (additionally writes), inthe memory 2, acceleration data ACC in a fixed period (e.g., threeseconds) after the acceleration data ACC is inputted in step ST11 andtime data TIME at the time of acquisition of the acceleration data ACCin association with each other as detection data.

In step ST14, the control unit 14 may stores in the memory 2 onlymaximum acceleration data ACC of the acceleration data ACC in the fixedperiod after the acceleration data ACC is inputted in step ST11.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, detection data including an entryindicating that acceleration of “65. 5G” was generated in the portablemusic player 1 at “22:45:37 on Aug. 10, 2005” and an entry indicatingthat acceleration of “72.1G” was generated in the portable music player1 at “10:08:25 on Aug. 11, 2005” is stored in the memory 2.

The detection data is read out from the memory 2 and used for specifyinga cause (a location) of failure at the time of repair of the portablemusic player 1.

THIRD OPERATION EXAMPLE

In the operation example, operations in storing temperature data, whichindicates temperature in the housing of the portable music player 1, inthe memory 2 as detection data will be explained.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation example.

Step ST21

The control unit 14 judges whether the temperature data TEMP is inputtedfrom the temperature sensor 5. When it is judged that the temperaturedata TEMP is inputted, the control unit 14 proceeds to step ST22. Whenit is judged that the temperature data TEMP is not inputted, the controlunit 14 repeats the judgment.

Step ST22

The control unit 14 compares the temperature data inputted in step ST21and a predetermined condition (a predetermined temperature) and checkswhether the predetermined condition is satisfied. When the predeterminedcondition is satisfied, the control unit 14 proceeds to step ST23. Whenthe predetermined condition is not satisfied, the control unit 14proceeds to step ST23. When the predetermined condition is notsatisfied, the control unit 14 returns to step ST21.

Step ST23

The control unit 14 writes (additionally writes), in the memory 2, thetemperature data TEMP inputted in step ST21 and time data TIME at thetime of acquisition of the temperature data TEMP in association witheach other as detection data.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, detection data including an entryindicating that temperature in the housing of the portable music player1 rose to “80°C.” at “04:08:58 on Aug. 12, 2005” and an entry indicatingthat temperature in the housing of the portable music player 1 rose to“55° C.” at “16:45:06 on Aug. 13, 2005” is stored in the memory 2.

The detection data is read out from the memory 2 and used forspecification of a cause (a location) of failure at the time of repairof the portable music player 1.

FOURTH OPERATION EXAMPLE

In the operation example, operations in reading out the detection datastored in the memory 2, for example, at the time of repair of theportable music player 1 will be explained.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation example.

Step ST31

The control unit 14 judges, on the basis of an operation signal from theoperation key 4, whether a detection data output command is inputted.When it is judged that the detection data output command is inputted,the control unit 14 proceeds to step ST32. When it is judged that thedetection data output command is not inputted, the control unit 14repeats the judgment.

Step ST32

The control unit 14 reads out the detection data shown in FIG. 5, FIG.7, or the like stored in the memory 2. The control unit 14 displays thedetection data on the display 11 or outputs the detection data to theoutside of the portable music player 1 via the interface 16.

A repairer of the portable music player 1 estimates a cause of failureand a location of failure of the portable music player 1 on the basis ofthe detection data.

As explained above, in the portable music player 1, when theacceleration data ACC and the temperature data TEMP satisfies theconditions that can be a cause of failure of the portable music player1, the acceleration data ACC and the temperature data TEMP are stored inthe memory 2 as detection data.

AT the time of repair of the portable music player 1, by reading out thedetection data from the memory 2, it is possible to estimate a locationof failure and a cause of failure of the portable music player 1 on thebasis of the detection data. This makes it possible to make repair workfor the portable music player 1 efficient.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

In the embodiment described above, the portable music player 1 isdescribed as an example of the electronic apparatus according to theembodiment of the invention. However, a type of the electronic apparatusis not specifically limited as long as the electronic apparatus ismounted with an acceleration sensor and includes recording meansaccessed by a head.

As the electronic apparatus according to the embodiment of theinvention, a cellular phone, a portable or stationary video reproducingapparatus, and the like may be applied other than the portable musicplayer.

In the embodiment described above, the acceleration data ACC and thetemperature data TEMP are written in the memory 2 as the detection datawhen the predetermined conditions defined in advance are satisfied.However, these data may typically be written in the memory 2.

In the embodiment described above, the acceleration data ACC and thetemperature data TEMP are written in the memory 2 as the detection datain association with the time data TIME. However, the time data TIME doesnot always have to be written in the memory 2.

In the embodiment described above, the control unit 14 writes theacceleration data ACC and the temperature data TEMP in the memory 2.However, a state occurring in the portable music player 1, for example,a state in which the portable player 1 has dropped or temperature in thehousing of the portable player 1 is higher than the predeterminedtemperature may be detected and data indicating the state detected maybe written in the memory 2.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

1. An electronic apparatus comprising: a recording unit configured to access a recording medium using a head; an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration generated in the electronic apparatus; and a control unit configured to write, in the recording medium or a predetermined memory, detection data indicating a result of the detection by the acceleration sensor or a state of the electronic apparatus detected on the basis of the detection result and retracting, when the detection result satisfies a drop condition for the electronic apparatus defined in advance, the head of the recording unit to a predetermined retraction position.
 2. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a timer, wherein the control unit writes the detection data in the recording medium or the predetermined memory in association with a count value of the timer at the time when the detection data is generated.
 3. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit writes, on the basis of the detection result of the acceleration sensor, the detection data in the recording medium or the predetermined memory on condition that it is judged that acceleration associated with a state that causes failure of the electronic apparatus is generated in the electronic apparatus.
 4. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit writes, on the basis of the detection result of the acceleration sensor, the detection data in the recording medium or the predetermined memory when the acceleration generated in the electronic apparatus exceeds a predetermined level.
 5. An electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acceleration sensor detects accelerations in three axial directions, and the control unit writes the detection data in the recording medium or the predetermined memory when at least acceleration in one axial direction among the accelerations in the three axial directions detected by the acceleration sensor exceeds the predetermined level.
 6. An electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit lowers, when the head is accessing the recording medium in the recording unit, the predetermined level compared with that at the time when the head is not accessing the recording medium.
 7. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the control unit writes, in the recording medium or the predetermined memory, data indicating the detection result of the temperature sensor or a state of the electronic apparatus specified on the basis of the detection result.
 8. An electronic apparatus control method for controlling a portable electronic apparatus including recording means for accessing a recording medium using a head and an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, the electronic apparatus control method comprising the steps of: generating detection data indicating a result of the detection by the acceleration sensor or a state of the electronic apparatus detected on the basis of the detection result; writing the detection data generated in the step of generating detection data in a predetermined memory; and retracting, when the detection result satisfies a drop condition for the electronic apparatus defined in advance, the head of the recording means to a predetermined retraction position.
 9. An electronic apparatus control method according to claim 8, wherein the electronic apparatus further includes a timer, and in the step of writing the detection data in the recording medium or the predetermined memory, the detection data is written in the recording medium or the predetermined memory in association with a count value of the timer at the time when the detection data is generated.
 10. An electronic apparatus control method according to claim 8, wherein, in the electronic apparatus, in the step of writing the detection data in the recording medium or the predetermined memory, on the basis of the detection result of the acceleration sensor, the detection data is written in the recording medium or the predetermined memory on condition that it is judged that acceleration associated with a state that causes failure of the electronic apparatus is generated in the electronic apparatus.
 11. An electronic apparatus control method according to claim 10, wherein, in the electronic apparatus, on the basis of the detection result of the acceleration sensor, the detection data is written in the recording medium or the predetermined memory when the acceleration generated in the electronic apparatus exceeds a predetermined level.
 12. An electronic apparatus control method according to claim 11, wherein the acceleration sensor detects accelerations in three axial directions, and in the step of retracting the head of the recording means, the detection data is written in the recording medium or the predetermined memory when at least acceleration in one axial direction among the accelerations in the three axial directions detected by the acceleration sensor exceeds the predetermined level.
 13. An electronic apparatus control method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of lowering, when the head is accessing the recording medium in the recording means, the predetermined level compared with that at the time when the head is not accessing the recording medium.
 14. An electronic apparatus control method according to claim 8, wherein the electronic apparatus further includes a temperature sensor, and in the step of writing the detection data in the recording medium or the predetermined memory, data indicating the detection result of the temperature sensor or a state of the electronic apparatus specified on the basis of the detection result is written in the recording medium or the predetermined memory. 